Tower-wagon for electric street-car service



(No Model.) 7

T. L. JOHNSON. TOWER WAGON FOB ELECTRIC STREET GAR SERVIOE.

Patented Nov. 5. 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOM L. JOHNSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TOWER-WAGON FOR ELECTRIC STREET-CAR SERVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,222, dated November5, 1889.

Application filed July 29, 1889. Serial No. 319,010. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TOM L. JOHNSON, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in TowerWVagons for Street-Car ElectricJVire Service; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in tower wagons for street-carelectric-wire service,in which the tower is provided with a lateraloverhanging platform, from which the electric wires and the supportingcross-wires may he reached by workmen without interfering with thepassage of the cars.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation. Fig. 2 is aside elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan.

A represents a wagon having wide tread, usually about seven feet, andcoupled long. Upon the wagon is erected a frame-work or tower,consisting, in the main, of posts B and braces C, together with thenecessary tie-bars, this tower or frame-work supporting platform C, thelatter extending lengthwise of the wagon. Connected with this platformis a lateral overhanging platform D, usually about sixteen feet (more orless) in length, and wide enougli say five or six feet-to ac commodateseveral workmen thereon, this platform having such elevation-usuallyabout fourteen feet from the ground-as will accommodate the operators inworking at the trolley-wire or at the cross-wires that support thelatter.

Electric street-railways usually supersede horse-lines, and heretoforeit has been extremely diflicult, if not impracticable, to place theelectric wires in position over the tracks without interfering with thepassage of the cars. With my improved tower-wagon the latter is drivenalongside the track, but far enough removed to allow the cars to pass,the lateral platform extending above the cars and near enough to thevertical central plane of the respective tracks to bring the workmenwithin easy reach of the electric or trolley wires. The electric wirescan therefore be attached to the supporting cross-wires withoutinterfering with the traffic of the road.

After the electric road is in operation it will be necessary from timeto time to inspect, repair, or renew, for instance, the insulatin gattachment between the trolley-wires and the cross-wires, and to doother work along the wires, in which case my improved tower-wagon, withits lateral platform, will furnish access to the parts withoutinterfering in the least with the running of the cars.

What I claim is l. A tower-wagon having a lateral overhanging platformconnected with the tower or frame-work of the wagon, such lateralplatform having such elevation that it will extend above and clear thetops of the cars, substantially as set forth.

2, A wagon bearing an elevated platform extending crosswise of andoverhanging the sides of the wagon, such platform having such elevationas will bring the workmen thereon within reach of the electric wires,such platform being adapted to ride over the cars without contacttherewith, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 24th day of June, 1889.

TOM L. J OIINSON. Witnesses:

CHAS. II. DORER, ALBERT E. LYNCH.

